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How much historical order data should I provide for accurate marketing insights?

Updated over 2 months ago

When it comes to marketing analytics and performance measurement, providing sufficient historical order data is crucial to generating accurate insights. Whether you're conducting Lift Tests or building a robust Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM), the amount of data you provide significantly impacts the quality of your results.

To achieve the best results, we recommend the following data guidelines based on your analytical needs:

1. Lift Tests

Lift Tests are designed to measure the incremental impact of marketing campaigns by comparing a test group (exposed to marketing) with a control group (unexposed). For Lift Tests to deliver meaningful insights:

  • Minimum Data Requirement: Provide at least 180 days (about 6 months) of historical order data.

  • Why: This timeframe allows your testing platform to account for seasonal trends, product life cycles, and customer behavior patterns that could otherwise skew results.

2. Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM)

MMM is a statistical analysis technique that evaluates how various marketing channels contribute to sales and other key performance indicators. For accurate and actionable MMM insights:

  • Minimum Data Requirement: Provide at least 1 year of historical order data.

  • Recommended for Better Accuracy: Upload 2 years of historical data to improve model robustness and account for long-term trends.

  • Why: A longer data timeline helps the model detect recurring patterns, seasonal shifts, and market fluctuations. This extended view is particularly important for understanding slower-moving effects like brand awareness or word-of-mouth impact.

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